• improvements to Fort Royal Park, including the building of a new play area

• investment in improvements to the top of High Street, from the Elgar Statue to Pump Street

• up to £45,000 in grants for local small and medium sized businesses.

The budget has been designed to ensure council services are paid for without the use of over £1 million from a new Government scheme called the New Homes Bonus – which awards the council cash when new homes are built in the city.

Instead, the New Homes Bonus money will be used to pay for improvements to Worcester, with the money being invested in measures to support the local economy, infrastructure and regeneration projects, and affordable housing.

Councillor Simon Geraghty, Leader of the Council, said: “In these tough times I’m proud to have delivered a budget which once again freezes Council Tax bills – something I know our residents will appreciate.

“At the same time I’m pleased that we’ve been able to continue to make improvements to Worcester, ensuring our city is a fantastic place to live, visit and do business in."

Exemptions are already changing.....we have had notification from the council stating that houses that have been empty for over two years will receive no more 25% discount for being an empty property and will now be rated at 150% council tax starting in April. No mention of that in the headlines!!...Why should I as a person who has worked hard to own extra properties be now demanded to pay 150% council tax to make up for all the other folks who get free council tax....and have to fund welfare for the burgeoning amount of folk who have never contributed to this society. The news reports telling us that thousands more EU immigrants from Bulgaria and Romania are heading this way rocks me to the core. Legal it may be, but it's not the society I want !!!! I do basically have a social background but this now is taking the biscuit!!

Exemptions are already changing.....we have had notification from the council stating that houses that have been empty for over two years will receive no more 25% discount for being an empty property and will now be rated at 150% council tax starting in April. No mention of that in the headlines!!...Why should I as a person who has worked hard to own extra properties be now demanded to pay 150% council tax to make up for all the other folks who get free council tax....and have to fund welfare for the burgeoning amount of folk who have never contributed to this society. The news reports telling us that thousands more EU immigrants from Bulgaria and Romania are heading this way rocks me to the core. Legal it may be, but it's not the society I want !!!! I do basically have a social background but this now is taking the biscuit!!take a deep breath

take a deep breath wrote:
Exemptions are already changing.....we have had notification from the council stating that houses that have been empty for over two years will receive no more 25% discount for being an empty property and will now be rated at 150% council tax starting in April. No mention of that in the headlines!!...Why should I as a person who has worked hard to own extra properties be now demanded to pay 150% council tax to make up for all the other folks who get free council tax....and have to fund welfare for the burgeoning amount of folk who have never contributed to this society. The news reports telling us that thousands more EU immigrants from Bulgaria and Romania are heading this way rocks me to the core. Legal it may be, but it's not the society I want !!!! I do basically have a social background but this now is taking the biscuit!!

Good points.

Immigrants are a massive drain on services, which we all pay for, and to which they can barely have contributed. They can access benefits and services pretty much on arrival, with access to doctors, hospitals and schools...even the library seems to have a fair range of books in East European and other minority languages. Paid for by us all, of use only to a minority.

And remember, if you go to most of their countries, there is absolutely nothing for you.

[quote][p][bold]take a deep breath[/bold] wrote:
Exemptions are already changing.....we have had notification from the council stating that houses that have been empty for over two years will receive no more 25% discount for being an empty property and will now be rated at 150% council tax starting in April. No mention of that in the headlines!!...Why should I as a person who has worked hard to own extra properties be now demanded to pay 150% council tax to make up for all the other folks who get free council tax....and have to fund welfare for the burgeoning amount of folk who have never contributed to this society. The news reports telling us that thousands more EU immigrants from Bulgaria and Romania are heading this way rocks me to the core. Legal it may be, but it's not the society I want !!!! I do basically have a social background but this now is taking the biscuit!![/p][/quote]Good points.
Immigrants are a massive drain on services, which we all pay for, and to which they can barely have contributed. They can access benefits and services pretty much on arrival, with access to doctors, hospitals and schools...even the library seems to have a fair range of books in East European and other minority languages. Paid for by us all, of use only to a minority.
And remember, if you go to most of their countries, there is absolutely nothing for you.More Tea Vicar

take a deep breath wrote:
Exemptions are already changing.....we have had notification from the council stating that houses that have been empty for over two years will receive no more 25% discount for being an empty property and will now be rated at 150% council tax starting in April. No mention of that in the headlines!!...Why should I as a person who has worked hard to own extra properties be now demanded to pay 150% council tax to make up for all the other folks who get free council tax....and have to fund welfare for the burgeoning amount of folk who have never contributed to this society. The news reports telling us that thousands more EU immigrants from Bulgaria and Romania are heading this way rocks me to the core. Legal it may be, but it's not the society I want !!!! I do basically have a social background but this now is taking the biscuit!!

Why would you buy property to leave it empty?

[quote][p][bold]take a deep breath[/bold] wrote:
Exemptions are already changing.....we have had notification from the council stating that houses that have been empty for over two years will receive no more 25% discount for being an empty property and will now be rated at 150% council tax starting in April. No mention of that in the headlines!!...Why should I as a person who has worked hard to own extra properties be now demanded to pay 150% council tax to make up for all the other folks who get free council tax....and have to fund welfare for the burgeoning amount of folk who have never contributed to this society. The news reports telling us that thousands more EU immigrants from Bulgaria and Romania are heading this way rocks me to the core. Legal it may be, but it's not the society I want !!!! I do basically have a social background but this now is taking the biscuit!![/p][/quote]Why would you buy property to leave it empty?pinkfluff

take a deep breath wrote:
Exemptions are already changing.....we have had notification from the council stating that houses that have been empty for over two years will receive no more 25% discount for being an empty property and will now be rated at 150% council tax starting in April. No mention of that in the headlines!!...Why should I as a person who has worked hard to own extra properties be now demanded to pay 150% council tax to make up for all the other folks who get free council tax....and have to fund welfare for the burgeoning amount of folk who have never contributed to this society. The news reports telling us that thousands more EU immigrants from Bulgaria and Romania are heading this way rocks me to the core. Legal it may be, but it's not the society I want !!!! I do basically have a social background but this now is taking the biscuit!!

Why do you want to own empty properties anyway?
Why not rent them out and gain an income?
Or are you trying to let them decay to such an extent that they can be classed as a brownfield building site?

[quote][p][bold]take a deep breath[/bold] wrote:
Exemptions are already changing.....we have had notification from the council stating that houses that have been empty for over two years will receive no more 25% discount for being an empty property and will now be rated at 150% council tax starting in April. No mention of that in the headlines!!...Why should I as a person who has worked hard to own extra properties be now demanded to pay 150% council tax to make up for all the other folks who get free council tax....and have to fund welfare for the burgeoning amount of folk who have never contributed to this society. The news reports telling us that thousands more EU immigrants from Bulgaria and Romania are heading this way rocks me to the core. Legal it may be, but it's not the society I want !!!! I do basically have a social background but this now is taking the biscuit!![/p][/quote]Why do you want to own empty properties anyway?
Why not rent them out and gain an income?
Or are you trying to let them decay to such an extent that they can be classed as a brownfield building site?New Kid on the Block

Re:- New Kid and pinkfluff's comments : An English man's home is his...castles!!! it's a free country, my choice! I don't need anyone telling me what to do with my own property. I'm sure you don't need folks telling you what to do with your property either.

Re:- New Kid and pinkfluff's comments : An English man's home is his...castles!!! it's a free country, my choice! I don't need anyone telling me what to do with my own property. I'm sure you don't need folks telling you what to do with your property either.take a deep breath

take a deep breath wrote:
Re:- New Kid and pinkfluff's comments : An English man's home is his...castles!!! it's a free country, my choice! I don't need anyone telling me what to do with my own property. I'm sure you don't need folks telling you what to do with your property either.

I don't recall telling you what to do. I am curious. You are of course not obliged to answer and I suspect that you won't as I appear to have hit a nerve.

[quote][p][bold]take a deep breath[/bold] wrote:
Re:- New Kid and pinkfluff's comments : An English man's home is his...castles!!! it's a free country, my choice! I don't need anyone telling me what to do with my own property. I'm sure you don't need folks telling you what to do with your property either.[/p][/quote]I don't recall telling you what to do. I am curious. You are of course not obliged to answer and I suspect that you won't as I appear to have hit a nerve.pinkfluff

I merely asked what others are thinking.
People rarely buy something just to own it. They normally have a use for what they buy.
The same goes for houses. I have never met anyone who bought houses just to let them stand empty and decaying for years at a time.

I merely asked what others are thinking.
People rarely buy something just to own it. They normally have a use for what they buy.
The same goes for houses. I have never met anyone who bought houses just to let them stand empty and decaying for years at a time.New Kid on the Block

Interesting replies....but you are both missing the point. The news headline was about Councillor Simon Geraghty, Leader of the Council, saying: “In these tough times I’m proud to have delivered a budget which once again freezes Council Tax bills". I'm just informing folks that there is more behind the headlines than suggested in the article. I suggest you also look out for other alterations to the existing exemptions. As for curiosity...it killed the cat!

Interesting replies....but you are both missing the point. The news headline was about Councillor Simon Geraghty, Leader of the Council, saying: “In these tough times I’m proud to have delivered a budget which once again freezes Council Tax bills". I'm just informing folks that there is more behind the headlines than suggested in the article. I suggest you also look out for other alterations to the existing exemptions. As for curiosity...it killed the cat!take a deep breath

take a deep breath wrote:
Interesting replies....but you are both missing the point. The news headline was about Councillor Simon Geraghty, Leader of the Council, saying: “In these tough times I’m proud to have delivered a budget which once again freezes Council Tax bills&quot;. I'm just informing folks that there is more behind the headlines than suggested in the article. I suggest you also look out for other alterations to the existing exemptions. As for curiosity...it killed the cat!

The point is that the council are on to landlords who leave perfectly good houses empty for no good reason other than their own bank balance. Your squealing is music to my ears!

[quote][p][bold]take a deep breath[/bold] wrote:
Interesting replies....but you are both missing the point. The news headline was about Councillor Simon Geraghty, Leader of the Council, saying: “In these tough times I’m proud to have delivered a budget which once again freezes Council Tax bills". I'm just informing folks that there is more behind the headlines than suggested in the article. I suggest you also look out for other alterations to the existing exemptions. As for curiosity...it killed the cat![/p][/quote]The point is that the council are on to landlords who leave perfectly good houses empty for no good reason other than their own bank balance. Your squealing is music to my ears!The Doosra

pinkfluff wrote:
I'd rather have tax paying immigrants in this country than those who tie up capital in property as a tax dodge.

Just my opinion......and fortunately I'm not a cat.

I'd sooner not pay for either.

[quote][p][bold]pinkfluff[/bold] wrote:
I'd rather have tax paying immigrants in this country than those who tie up capital in property as a tax dodge.
Just my opinion......and fortunately I'm not a cat.[/p][/quote]I'd sooner not pay for either.More Tea Vicar

That's an interesting opinion pinkfluff...that you would "rather have tax-paying immigrants in this country", then I must ask you if you have ever heard of cloud-cuckoo-land?..
or is that where you already live? Have you ever thought why folks come here?...Is it for our weather?....No...Thi
s country is seen as a 'soft touch for benefits'...Are you aware of that?....Seems like Cllr Geraghty has quietly pulled the pink fluff down over your eyes and you have lost your vision of reality. Next time you call into the Hub ask how many changes are planned for council tax exemptions. And while you are there ask them how the change to universal credits will effect us all in Worcester..that is all of us who pay our own council tax. To reiterate...there is more behind the headline in this news article than meets your eyes.Take it from me...but of course please feel free to do your own thing: you are quite welcome to bury your head in the sand. And as for "rather than those who tie up capital in property as a tax dodge" You,me or anybody can buy a house an own it in this green and pleasant land called England....or ten houses if you wish. Your remarks seem to show a resentment to folks who have amassed capital?....Have you ever put money in a bank?...I did once upon a time, the final score was Bank (won) Interest 0.

That's an interesting opinion pinkfluff...that you would "rather have tax-paying immigrants in this country", then I must ask you if you have ever heard of cloud-cuckoo-land?..
or is that where you already live? Have you ever thought why folks come here?...Is it for our weather?....No...Thi
s country is seen as a 'soft touch for benefits'...Are you aware of that?....Seems like Cllr Geraghty has quietly pulled the pink fluff down over your eyes and you have lost your vision of reality. Next time you call into the Hub ask how many changes are planned for council tax exemptions. And while you are there ask them how the change to universal credits will effect us all in Worcester..that is all of us who pay our own council tax. To reiterate...there is more behind the headline in this news article than meets your eyes.Take it from me...but of course please feel free to do your own thing: you are quite welcome to bury your head in the sand. And as for "rather than those who tie up capital in property as a tax dodge" You,me or anybody can buy a house an own it in this green and pleasant land called England....or ten houses if you wish. Your remarks seem to show a resentment to folks who have amassed capital?....Have you ever put money in a bank?...I did once upon a time, the final score was Bank (won) Interest 0.take a deep breath

My neighbours are hard working tax paying immigrants. Such things do exist outside cloud cuckoo land. There is however a limit to how many we can reasonably accommodate. This is only a small country.
I don't like Banks any more than anyone else and I keep as little money in them as possible. I had a long argument with a major high street bank that tried to fiddle me out of interest I was owed. I eventually got the interest but no sign of an apology or explanation.
What people don't like is houses being left empty for years at a time. Such properties normally become a decaying eyesore which no-one wants to live next to. Surely it is better to do as the owner of the house next door to me does - rent it to a carefully vetted family. That way the house and garden is looked after a family has somewhere to live and he gains an income from it. Rather than allowing it to decay and depreciate.

My neighbours are hard working tax paying immigrants. Such things do exist outside cloud cuckoo land. There is however a limit to how many we can reasonably accommodate. This is only a small country.
I don't like Banks any more than anyone else and I keep as little money in them as possible. I had a long argument with a major high street bank that tried to fiddle me out of interest I was owed. I eventually got the interest but no sign of an apology or explanation.
What people don't like is houses being left empty for years at a time. Such properties normally become a decaying eyesore which no-one wants to live next to. Surely it is better to do as the owner of the house next door to me does - rent it to a carefully vetted family. That way the house and garden is looked after a family has somewhere to live and he gains an income from it. Rather than allowing it to decay and depreciate.New Kid on the Block

New Kid on the Block wrote:
My neighbours are hard working tax paying immigrants. Such things do exist outside cloud cuckoo land. There is however a limit to how many we can reasonably accommodate. This is only a small country.
I don't like Banks any more than anyone else and I keep as little money in them as possible. I had a long argument with a major high street bank that tried to fiddle me out of interest I was owed. I eventually got the interest but no sign of an apology or explanation.
What people don't like is houses being left empty for years at a time. Such properties normally become a decaying eyesore which no-one wants to live next to. Surely it is better to do as the owner of the house next door to me does - rent it to a carefully vetted family. That way the house and garden is looked after a family has somewhere to live and he gains an income from it. Rather than allowing it to decay and depreciate.

Indeed and buying property just to leave it empty won't help the housing crisis either.

[quote][p][bold]New Kid on the Block[/bold] wrote:
My neighbours are hard working tax paying immigrants. Such things do exist outside cloud cuckoo land. There is however a limit to how many we can reasonably accommodate. This is only a small country.
I don't like Banks any more than anyone else and I keep as little money in them as possible. I had a long argument with a major high street bank that tried to fiddle me out of interest I was owed. I eventually got the interest but no sign of an apology or explanation.
What people don't like is houses being left empty for years at a time. Such properties normally become a decaying eyesore which no-one wants to live next to. Surely it is better to do as the owner of the house next door to me does - rent it to a carefully vetted family. That way the house and garden is looked after a family has somewhere to live and he gains an income from it. Rather than allowing it to decay and depreciate.[/p][/quote]Indeed and buying property just to leave it empty won't help the housing crisis either.pinkfluff